Foam collector for use in the cleaning of rugs and the like



Nov. 27, 1962 J. NIVER FOAM COLLECTOR FOR USE IN THE CLEANING OF RUGS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 .m RV M N MM J W M4, M14",

ATTOB EY J. NIVER Nov. 27, 1962 FOAM COLLECTOR FOR USE IN THE CLEANING OF RUGS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1959 IN V EN TOR. SEP/r A n/ae Z! 2/ FIG.|O

ATTOE VEY Nov. 27, 1962 J. NIVER FOAM COLLECTOR FOR USE IN THE CLEANING OF RUGS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 27, 1959 Affaewzy United States Patent Ofllice 3,665,493 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 3,065,493 FOAM COLLECTOR FOR USE IN TEE CLEANING F RUGS AND THE LIKE Joseph Niver, Stormville, N.Y. Filed Feb. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 796,009

12 Claims. (Cl. 15515) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 757,794 filed August 28, 1958, now abandoned.

In the cleaning of rugs, carpets, and other materials and surfacings with a foaming cleanser, the removal of the soiled foam is a difficult problem. Scraping it off with an ordinary scraper requires a multiplicity of short scraping operations each followed by the washing of the scraper; and, if a box with solid walls is provided for catching and collecting the foam, the shaking of the foam out of the box when it becomes full and the final washing of the interior of the box are in themselves diflicult operations. Often the foam is allowed to dry and the dried and loosened soiled foam is removed by a carpet sweeper or vacuum cleaner, but this is a long-drawn-out procedure which often interferes with the use of the rug or of the room in which it lies for an undesirable length of time. In addition, soil dissolved by the foam wetting agent is redeposited when the foam dries. Only a portion of the soil remains sufficiently free of adherence to the materialsuch as rugsto be picked up by a carpet sweeper or vacuum cleaner.

With the foregoing and other considerations in view, the present invention provides, in combination with a foam scraper, an openwork foanr catcher into which the foam will readily be pushed during the scraping operation, by which it will be effectively retained as a prolonged scraping operation proceeds, and from which it may be shaken out with the utmost case at the end of each of a series of prolonged scraping operations.

In various of its more specific aspects, the invention contemplates the provision of openwork foam-catching means at a foam-collecting space; the provision of such means which partially or completely extend over such a space; the provision of foam-catching means composed of spaced strands, either with cross-strands to provide an openwork mesh such as wire mesh or plastic-strand mesh, or merely of spaced strands; the provision of scrubbing means arranged for effective use with scraping and foamcatching means; the provision of supply means for a cleaning agent in connection therewith; and other improvements and arrangements which will appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of device embodying the invention when in scrubbing position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 when in foam-collecting position;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the device with the top of the supply means removed;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view along the lines 4--4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing the foam-collecting cover in a different position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective detail view on an enlarged scale of the cover for the supply means;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective detail view on an enlarged scale of the foam-collecting cover member;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a modified form of device;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of another modified form of device;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof;

FIG. 12 is a rear top perspective view of another modified form of device showing the same being used as a scrubber;

FIG. 13 illustrates the same being used as a scraper;

FIG. 14 is a detail view in perspective from the bottom rear end;

FIG. 15 is a front view; and

FIG. 16 is a section along the line 16-46 of FIG. 12 on an enlarged scale.

In the form of construction shown in FIGS. 1-7, there is shown a rug cleaner the body 10 of which comprises, in

the present instance, a platform 12 which may be formed of wood, plastic, metal or other suitable material, /2 inch thick and 8 inches in length and from which a five-foot handle 13 may extend diagonally rearwardly and upwardly, being secured thereto by screwing into screw threads 14 in the present instance. In the exemplified embodiment, rug-scrubbing bristles 15 extend downwardly from the rearward portion of the lower surfaces of the platform. Extending forwardly of the platform is a scraper 16 which in the present instance is integral with the platform and has beveled forward portions 18 at its sides and with a blunt end 20 between them, which permits the scraper to be moved smoothly over a rug to pick up soiled foam from the rug when it is pressed downwardly against the rug by the platform when the latter is in a generally vertical position. The soiled foam thus scraped from the rug tends to ride up the normally upper (now forward) area 21 on the platform and into a foamcatching space 22; and is caught there by an openwork foam-catcher 2 which, as exemplified and as particularly adapted for use when relatively stiff foam is employed, is in the form of Ai-inch wire, plastic, or other mesh which is spaced from the platform thruout at least a portion of its extent, and, in the present instance, lies generally parallel thereto and provides a foraminate cover for the space 22. The mesh tends to hold the soiled foam in the space 22, and, when a considerable body of soiled foam has collected, permits the easy shaking off of the soiled foam from the space 22. The device may, moreover, be washed with extreme ease after use by merely dipping the forward end of the device in a bucket of water or holding the mesh 24 under a faucet, or merely by tapping the device against a firm surface. The mesh 24 is held in place in the present instance by being frictionally slid into a pair of grooves 25 in end portions 26; and may readily be slid out and replaced by such other types or shapes of foam catchers as may be desirable for use with varying types of foaming cleaners or under varying conditions. The end portions 26 are also formed with an additional pair of grooves 27 which slope somewhat more downwardly in a forward direction so that the mesh 24 may be frictionally slid therein to the position of FIG. 5 wherein the forward distance between the surface of the platform and the mesh is less than that of FIGS. 1-4, and the mesh will more effectively hold soiled foam of somewhat less stiffness than when the mesh is in the grooves 25. The rear of the space 22 is closed by a wall portion 28, the front being wholly open to a greater or less extent as shown at 29 in FIG. 4 and at 29a in FIG. 5.

In the exemplified construction, there is provided, at the rear of the space 22, a tank portion 30, the wall portion 28 serving as a partiton between the space 22 and the tank portion 30. From this tank portion, fresh cleaner may effectively be supplied to a rug and to the bristles 15.

The end portions 26, in the present instance, extend rearwardly to provide the ends of the tank portion, and a rear wall portion 32 is provided. That surface of the body portion 1% which provides the bottom of the tank portion is formed of interconnected grooves as shown at 34, and from these grooves a plurality of holes 35 lead downwardly thru the platform.

While the top of the tank portion 36 might be left open, since overflowing material will run onto the rug Where it is needed, it is preferably and as exemplified substantially closed by a wall portion 36 which may be formed of transparent plastic and removably held in place by screws 37. The wall 36 is provided with filling openings 38, a discharge opening 40 in one corner for pouring out excess cleaning fluid at the end of a given cleaning action, and openings 42 about the handle 13. When the device is dipped into a container of cleaning fluid, the liquid will run into the various holes and fill the tank portion 30.

In H68. 8 and 9 there is exemplified a form of device the parts of which are similar to those of FIGS. 1-7 and are indicated by similar reference numerals, except as set forth below. In this form of device, there is provided a foam catcher adapted for collecting and retaining a type of foam which is less stiff than that which would be adapted to be readily retained by the wide-mesh foamcatcher 24. There is here provided a mesh foam-catcher 44 formed of wire or plastic window screening or the like which has a portion 45 extending above the space 22 and forming a cover therefor, and a forward portion 46 extending between the cover portion 45 and the platform 12. Light foam will readily penetrate the portion 46 as it rides up the area 21, but will tend to be retained within the space 22. by the screening 45 and '46. In the present instance, the end portions 26 are replaced by shorter end walls 48 for the tank 36, and the screening also extends over the ends of the space 22 as shown at The screening is secured in place as by tacks 52.

In the form of construction shown in FIGS. and 11 there is exemplified an arrangement particularly adapted for catching thick foam. As shown, it is similar to that of FIGS. 14 except that the wire-mesh member 24 is replaced by a foam-catching cover portion 54 composed of a series of spaced unidirectional wires 55 the ends of which are frictionally held in holes 56 in end pieces 58, and which are disposed at the forward portion of the top of the space 22, leaving an open portion 5%, and at the top portion of the front of this space, leaving an open portion 29.

In the form of construction shown in FIGS. l2l6 there is shown an arrangement wherein the spaced strands of the foam catcher are provided by the turns of a coil which is extended sufficiently so as to provide spaces between the strands. The device, which is of the same general character as that previously exemplified, comprises a frame 6% providing a scraper 62 having a scraping edge 63 and a foam-guiding surface 64 which leads to a platform 65. At the rear of the scraping edge 63on the platform 65 in the present instance-there is provided a foam-collecting element 66 which is in the form of an extended coil spring the lowermost portions of certain of the turns of which are secured to the platform by nails 63 and the ends of which are sunk into ends of the frame as shown at 69. The remainder of the turns of the coil provide spaced strands for catching and holding the foam which rises up the surface 64 when the scraping edge is drawn over a rug or the like which has just been cleaned with the foaming cleaner. The coil 66 may be formed of spring metal, resilient plastic or other suitable materal.

Behind the platform is a container 70 for a foaming cleaning fluid. This may be formed of transparent plastic, and is provided with filling openings 72 and with dispensing openings 74 whereby the cleaning fluid may be supplied to a sponge 75 which fits against the bottom (FIG. 12) of the container 70. Forwardly of the sponge,

and facing in the opposite direction from the platform, are a series of bristles '76.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. A device for use in cleaning rugs and the like comprising a scraper for removing soiled foam from an article being cleaned and having a scraping edge, a body member extending rearwardly from said scraper and providing therewith on one side of the scraper and the body member a surface extending rearwardly from the scraping edge for the reception of foam scraped from the artiole, openwork means disposed in proximity to the scraping edge for collecting and loosely retaining soiled foam received by said surface and having a portion spaced from said side of said surface and overlying an area on said surface disposed rearwardly of said scraping edge, said overlain area extending rearwardly at least half the rearward extent of the area of said surface which is disposed forwardly of said overlain area, the major portion of said openwork means being permanently open, at least to a greater extent than it is closed, in the direction in which the scraper extends and in a direction away from said side, for the easy reception of soiled foam and for easy removal therefrom of soiled foam in either of said directions.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein a tank for holding and dispensing a foaming cleaning fluid is also provided on said side of said body member and rearwardly of said collecting and retaining means, and wherein there are also provided on the opposite side of said body member means for rubbing a foaming cleaning fluid over the surface of an article to be cleaned, and wherein communication be tween said tank and said rubbing means is provided thru said body member, whereby the foaming cleaning fluid may be applied to said article with the body member in a generally horizontal direction, and foam removed with the body member in a generally vertical direction.

3. A device for use in the cleaning of rugs and the like comprising a scraper having a scraping edge for removing soiled foam from an article being cleaned, a platform extending from the scraper and providing in proximity to said scraping edge and area for collection of soiled foam, and a foraminate cover embodying spaced strands overlying at least a portion of said area in spaced relationship thereto and permanently open at least to a greater extent than it is closed where it overlies said area and where it faces said scraping edge.

4. A device as in claim 3 wherein a forward fully and permanently open area is provided between said overlying means and said platform.

5. A device as in claim 3 wherein a foraminate front portion extends between said cover and said platform.

6. A device for use in the cleaning of rugs and the like comprising a scraper for removing soiled foam from an article being cleaned, a platform extending from the scraper and providing in proximity to said scraper an area for collection of soiled foam, and a foraminate cover overlying at least a portion of said area in spaced relationship thereto, wherein there are provided a plurality of upstanding laterally-extending portions provided with runways in which said foraminate cover is removably mounted.

7.A device as in claim 6 wherein each of said upstanding portions is provided with a plurality of runways for holding said cover in varying positions with respect to said platform.

8. A device for use in the cleaning of rugs and the like comprising a scraper for removing soiled foam from an article being cleaned, a platform extending from the scraper and providing in proximity to said scraper an area for the collection of soiled foam, and openwork foam-catching means overlying at least a portion of said area and having a portion in spaced relationship thereto and comprising a plurality of strands so spaced from each other and from said platform as to permit ready entry of foam rising up said platform and ready removal thereof, wherein said overlying means is formed of mesh.

9. A device for use in the cleaning of rugs and the like comprising a scraper for removing soiled foam from an article being cleaned and having a scraping edge, mearproviding a surface extending rearwardly from the scrap ing edge and comprising a forward area contiguous with said scraping edge for the reception of soiled foam and a rearward area contiguous with said forward area for the collection of soiled foam, and openwork foam-catching means disposed in proximity to the scraping edge overlying said rearward area and having a portion in spaced relationship thereto and comprising a plurality of strands so spaced from each other and from said surface as to permit ready entry of foam rising up said surface and ready removal thereof, said rearward area being at least half the extent of said forward area in a rearward direction, wherein said foam-catching means consists of a plurality of spaced unidirectional strands.

10. A device for use in the cleaning of rugs and the like comprising a scraper for removing soiled foam from an article being cleaned and having a scraping edge, means providing a surface extending rearwardly from the scraping edge and comprising a forward area contiguous with said scraping edge for the reception of soiled foam and a rearward area contiguous with said forward area for the collection of soiled foam, and openwork foam-catching means disposed in proximity to the scraping edge overlying said rearward area and having a portion in spaced relationship thereto and comprising a plurality of strands so spaced from each other and from said surface as to permit ready entry of foam rising up said surface and ready removal thereof, said rearward area being at least half the extent of said forward area in a rearward direction, wherein said foam catching means is provided by the outer turns of a distended coil spring certain of the inner turns of which are attached to said surface.

ll. A scraper for rugs and the like comprising a frame, a scraping element carried at a forward portion of said frame and having a forwardly-projecting scraping edge, and a foam catcher composed of spaced strands and carried in proximity to said edge, wherein the foam catcher is in the form of a coil carried in proximity to said scra ing edge.

12. A device for use in the cleaning of rugs and the like comprising a scraper for removing soiled foam from an article being cleaned and having a scraping edge, means providing a surface extending rearwardly from the scraping edge and comprising a forward area contiguous with said scraping edge for the reception of soiled foam and a rearward area contiguous with said forward area for the collection of soiled foam, and open-work foam-catching means disposed in proximity to the scraping edge overlying said rearward area and having a portion in spaced relationship thereto and comprising a plurality of strands so spaced from each other and from said surface as to perready entry of foam rising up said surface and ready removal thereof, said rearward area being at least half the extent of said forward area in a rearward direction, wherein there are provided bristles on the opposite side of the device from said surface and extending away from said surface, a sponge on the same side of the device as the bristles in a position remote from the scraper, and a container for cleaning fluid communicating with said sponge and on the same side of the device as said foamcatcher.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 206,212 Balch July 23, 1878 798,532 Sanders Aug. 29, 1905 1,315,310 Kelley Sept. 9, 1919 FOREEGN PATENTS 268,084 Great Britain Mar. 31, 1927 

